The first sense to come back to me is hearing.
My body is motionless but my mind began to function normally. Gradually, things around me were getting louder but I couldn't move. I couldn't even open my eyes. I felt frozen in my own body.
"She had sleeping pills in her system, Dr Connaway," I heard an unfamiliar female voice say. "Is there any reason why she would have taken three times the recommended amount?"
I went in and out of focus when I heard mum's hushed reply, saying something about a situation at school and that I've never done anything like that before.
A groan sound-around echoed the room, before I realise that it came from me.
"Grace, honey?" I heard mum say, her fingers pressing against my shoulder. Another strange sound came from me, before my heavy eyes finally opened. I squint at the bright room, trying to focus on my mother's concerned eyes.
Continuing to make weird, unnatural noises, my mother frowned.
She sprang to her feet and I distantly heard water running, before the bed dipped beside me.
"Here, drink this," she instructed, passing me a plastic cup.
Slowly, my arm feeling like lead, I lift it, only to feel a ripe, burning feeling shoot through it. A strangled scream left my lips at both the pain and the physical sight of seeing my arm in a cast.
"Don't freak out, you're okay," she said to me in a soothing voice. "All your muscles will be sore for a while."
She leaned forward and grabbed my right hand, pulling it up and wrapping my hand around the cup. Tingles shot through my arm but not as bad as the pain that my left side endured. Pushing my hand to my face, she forced my lips open and tilted the cup. The cold, delicious water felt amazing on my dry tongue. I felt my throat burn as the water ran down it.
After sculling three glasses and suddenly feeling a belly ache form, mum pushed my hair back from my face.
"What do you remember?"
Running my now moist tongue over my dry, cracked lips, I feel much better. I can finally form a coherent sentence.
"I'm really confused," I whispered, my voice unable to go any higher. My throat burned, despite the relief the water provided. Why is my neck so sore? "Am I at your work?"
She nodded. "Yes."
"Why?"
"I'm not sure on the details," she said to me. "Hayden brought you in two days ago-"
"Two days?" I hoarsely asked. "What?"
"You've been in and out of consciousness, due to the stress and exhaustion your body faced and also due to the sleeping pills in your system." she explained in her doctor voice that she always uses with patients. "Why did you take them? Did someone force you to?"
"I just wanted to have a break," I whispered, my eyes tearing up. I didn't realise they were strong enough to knock out an elephant. "I wanted to sleep for a while and forget about everything."
"Because of the fight you had with Hayden?" she questioned, the nurse hovering over her shoulder, trying to listen.
"Yeah."
"Grace, you've had an accident of some sort. Did... Did Hayden attack you?"
"What? No, of course not." I immediately defended, looking at her like she is crazy as the memories of what happened to me became crashing back into my mind. Ashton. His vicious, drug-filled eyes. His strong hand as it hit me. His fingers wrapping around my throat. His harsh words as he screamed in my face. "He brought me in when I couldn't get hold of anyone. Why would you say that?"
"You told me you two had a fight, you took sleeping pills which I've never seen you take, you have been attacked and Hayden is the only one who seems to know anything about it. He also had bruised and bloody knuckles so that didn't really make things look good for him."
I let out a frustrated groan. "That was because of our fight but he didn't punch me. Does it look like I've been punched?"
"Yes," she replied bluntly. "You have face lacerations here," she pointed and traced her finger lightly on the left side of my jaw. "Your bottom lip is cut open here," she continued, pointing towards the corner of my mouth. "You have distinct strangle marks, here," she told me, lightly tracing the part of my neck that hurt. "You've split you head open which required stitches and you've injured your left arm."
"Swimming career is over then," I stated flatly.
"You will be fine; you just need to rest it. Hopefully you've only sprained your wrist, which is what caused it to swell. It could possibly have a fracture, which is why it's in a cast. We can't tell for sure until we x-ray it."
I nod slowly, finding that easier than talking.
"We needed to shave a bit of your hair, for the stitches," she said slowly.
"Oh God," I groaned. "I'm rocking a bald patch now?"
The corners of her mouth twitched. "Yes, but it's not that noticeable. You won't notice it, your hair is so thick and long, you'll be able to cover it easily."
I nod, still not too happy about it but there's not much that can be done now.
"Grace, I need you to be honest. I know you really like Hayden, but did he hurt you?"
"Ugh," I groaned in exasperation. "No. If he did, I would just tell you."
She bit her lip, looking unconvinced. "Why are his hands beat up?"
"Because they are," I replied vaguely, not wanting to tell her about his temper tantrum and hitting his beloved Ute. "Why would he bring me here if he's the one who attacked me?"
"To make himself look innocent," she replied back without hesitation.
My heart rate began to increase as I stared at mum. I didn't have a good feeling in my stomach.
"Where is he?"
"I had him arrested," she replied casually.
"What!?" I exclaimed, my throat sore and overwhelmed from talking.
"I didn't know if he was responsible for hurting you or not, Grace."
Exhaling deeply through my nose, I glare up at the ceiling. "I can't believe this has happened. Is this going on his record?"
"No, I haven't pressed any charges. I wanted to talk to you first."
"Ring the police and let him go! He is not the one who hurt me, I promise. He saved me."
"Who did then?" she pressed. "Who hurt you?"
I clamp my lips together, trying to think. Should I turn Ashton in? It would be the smart thing to do. He wasn't in his right mind, surely, he wouldn't have hurt me if he hadn't been under the influence.
Wait, why am I defending him? He assaulted me.
But then I'll have to explain everything...
"Ashton Brennon," I whispered so quietly that I wouldn't be surprised if she didn't hear me. "The swim coach at school."
Her lips parted as her eyes widened. "Ashton? Why on earth...?"
Tears pricked at my eyes. "I had... I had a fling with him at the start of the year. It was so stupid, I know. I... felt so lonely and he was kind to me... it all happened so fast. He's tried to get back with me a couple times and I've said no... and now that I'm with Hayden, he hates me and apparently, it's my fault all this stuff happened to him. I'm not the first girl either... there was another one he was with and she left the school because people found out. I didn't know that at the time, of course."
I almost face-palmed myself when I realised that I'm talking to my mother who is dating the said girl's father.
"Wait a minute," she said, looking shocked. "You and your swim coach?"
"It was months ago, mum." I said to her, as if that would make it sound better.
"Wait," she repeated. "This story sounds familiar..."
"Yeah, Carrie was the other girl."
"You know Carrie?" she asked, her eyebrows raising. "Justin's daughter?"
"Yeah, you have no idea."
"I haven't met her yet, but I've heard a lot about her," mum told me.
"She's like my twin, mum. She used to go to Byron Elite. She used to date Hayden. She had a fling with Ashton. She swam... It's kind of ridiculous how similar we are, actually."
"Why am I only hearing about all this now?" she questioned, furrowing her eyebrows together.
"You're never home," I replied weakly, quickly running out of strength. "How am I supposed to tell you when you're never home?"
Squeezing her eyes shut, she placed her head in her hands. "My God."
"Carrie and Ashton have still been seeing each other, FYI," I told her. "Just in case you want to mention that to Justin so she doesn't have the same fate I did."
"He's a child predator," she murmured. "I can't believe it."
I roll my eyes. "Mum, I was old enough to make my own decisions. I am just as guilty as he is."
"Did you have sex with him?" she bluntly asked.
"No, thank God."
She let out a visible breath of relief. "Good. He wouldn't want to be charged with assault and rape."
"Mum! Don't use the R word! He was never horrible when we were... hooking up. He was just like a regular guy."
"But he's not a regular guy, Grace," she snapped irritably. "He's your swim coach!"
"Is he? I had no idea," I retorted sarcastically.
She shook her head at me, annoyed at my sarcasm as usual. "This is a lot to take in."
"Well, while you're processing it all, can you get them to release Hayden from custody?"
"I don't know Grace; I still don't know the whole story..."
"Mum!" I snapped, my voice box burning. "He had nothing to do with it. His hands are bloody because he found out about me and Ashton and he punched his car window. He didn't lay a finger on me, he never would. He punched a locker as well, but again, not me or anyone else, okay? He drove me to hospital, even though he wanted nothing to do with me and how does he get repaid? By you sending him to lock up. For two days? Jeeze mum, way to ruin the last chance I ever had with getting him to forgive me."
Her eyebrows raised at my rant. "Okay, okay! I'll go make the call."
"Thank you!" I said to her, a little annoyed it took me that long to convince her.
I love that she is so fiercely protective of me and wanted to do the right thing, but I feel so terrible for Hayden getting caught up in all the mess.
"Look, try and get some rest and I'll sort out the Hayden situation, okay? I promise."
"I'm not going to be able to sleep until I know Hayden is safe and out of lock up." I admitted.
"Grace," she said with a sigh.
"Got any sleeping pills?" I joked. She gave me a flat, deadpan stare. "What, too soon?"
A small smile broke through her stern gaze. "Here, eat this yogurt. It might help your throat."
"Thanks mum," I told her earnestly. "I love you."
I'm over the confession of telling Hayden that I might possibly love him and then he flat out rejecting me and driving off, leaving me deserted in the school car park.
Not.
"I love you, too. Buzz if you need anything, okay? I'll come back and let you know when I know more about Hayden."
"Please do."
She gave me a warm smile, before exiting my room.
Exhausted from my long and way too honest conversation with mum, I sank back into the pillows and let my eyes close again.